Numbering-machine



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

T. J. A. MACDONALD.

NUMBERING MACHINE. No. 450,783. Patented Apr. 21, 1891.

Eqnlllllllljljlw' I I (No Model.\ 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

T. J. A. MACDONALD.

NUMBERING MACHINE.

No. 450,783. PatentedApr. 21,1891.

(No Model 3 Sheets-Sheet a. T. J. A. MACDONALD.

NUMBERING MACHINE.

No. 450,783. Patented Apr. 21, 1891.

N i lm I M o w i g w I" 7% 3, a

ttest IIIVEITUJI UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS J. A. MACDONALD, OFDETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO CARTER & COMPANY, LIMITED, OF NIAGARA FALLS,

NEW YORK.

NUMBERlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 450,783, dated April21, 1891.

Application filed July 21, 1888. Serial No. 280619. (No model.)

To coZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. A. MACDON- ALD, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Detroit, county of \Vayne, State of Michigan, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Numbering-Machines; andI declare the following to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, ref erencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of thisspecification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 8 is aplan view. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are detail views.

It is the purpose of my invention to produce a machine for printingconsecutive numbers upon sale-slips, checks, and other articles of likenature; also, to produce a mechanism which shall be capable of printingconsecutive numbers upon both sides of such a sale-slip, check, &c.

This'machine is specially designed for consecutive numbering of checks,sale-slips, and devices of like nature intended to be grouped in theform of a book or block. Ileretofore it has been customary to employ forthis purpose a series of type-wheels arranged side by side, each ofwhich is provided with the ten digits, with mechanism for operating thesaid type-wheels; but such arrangement of the type-wheels and theirnecessary operating mechanism are complicated and expensive, and theprinting is usually unsatisfactory.

My invention consists in the improved organization of a machine which iscomparatively simple and in many respects adjust- 4o able, and is alsomore efficient in its operation,

all as hereinafter fully described, and specifically set forth in theclaims.

Referring to the annexed drawings, A represents the mainsupporting-frame.

5 B is the sheet or strip of paper upon which the sale-slips, checks, orother similar matter are to be printed, and which is to be provided bythis machine with consecutive numbers of any given number as,foriustance, bunches 50 of fifty or a hundred.

C and O are respectively the first and sec 0nd platens orimpression-bars, upon which the paper rests when receiving theimpression from the printing or numbering wheels, said platens beingdisposed, respectively, under one and over the other of the said wheelsand different distances from the paper-feeding end of the machine.Adjacent thereto are tension-rollers c.

D and D are respectively the lower and upper printing or numberingwheels, each wheel being provided upon its periphery with theconsecutive numbers corresponding with the blocks or bunches to benumbered-as, for instance, from one to fifty. The printing or numberingwheels are rigidly mounted on shafts, which are journaled at oppositeends to two pairs of frames E Eand E E, each of which pairs is arrangedon opposite sides of the machine, and the two pairs are in differentplanes and pivoted, respectively, at opposite ends of the machine, asshown at e e, and extending lengthwise of the machine, the free end ofone pair of frames being above and those of the other pair being belowthe rotary horizontal shaft f, which is extended across the machine andhas secured to its ends eccentrics F F, to which the free ends of theaforesaid frames are connected by eccentric-straps and right and leftscrew-couplings e as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Saidscrew-couplings allow the connections between the eccentrics and framesE E and E E to beshortened or lengthened, as may be required, to causethe printing or numbering wheels to print the web of paper passing overthe platens. The rotation of the aforesaid eccentrics imparts verticaloscillating movement to the frames E E and E E, which carry thenumbering-wheel D upward against its platen C and the numbering-wheel Dsimultaneously down against the platen C, thus printing the paper onboth sides simultaneously. The shaft of each numbering-wheel is providedwith a ratchetwheel G, and a spring-pawl G is so adjusted that as thenumbering-wheel descends the next adjacent pawl will yield to thedownward movement of the ratchet, and as the numbering-wheel andratchet-wheel rise the pawl engages the ratchet and revolves thenumbering-wheel,so as to bring the next succeeding number into properposition to deliver its impression upon each numberingwheel shaft. Afriction-collar H, having a stud h, projects through a stationary partIt on the frame of the machine. In this contrivance the disk 72 isrigidly keyed to the shaft, and preferably has at its periphery asurface of leather or equivalent material k About this is theclamp-collar H, the pressure of which is governed by clamping-bolts h".In this way the motion of the numberingwheel is made positive and isaccurately de termined by the pawl G. This pawl Gr" has a longitudinalmovement by reason of the slot g. (Shown in detail in Fig. 6.) The adjusting-screw g regulates the distancethrough I which the pawl may bemoved longitudinally before-it comes to rest. Now the friction exertedby the friction appliance I-l upon the shaft of the numbering-wheel isso great that as the ratchet wheel rises the spring-pawl G does notexert sufficient resistance to turn the ratchet-wheel; but, onthecontrary, the pawl is lifted longitudinally until arrested by the adjustingscrew g. Then it affords a resistance to the further upwardmovement of the ratchetrwheel and so turns-the ratchetwheelshaf-t, andwith it the nu mber-ing-wheel, through the space necessary to bring thenext number into proper position to deliver its impression. Now thenumbering-wh el maybemade larger or smaller and it may haveinore orless-numbers-upon it and sore quire to berevolved through a less orgreater angle. This angle is of course determined by the upward movementof the ratchet- Wheel after the pawl has come to rest, and this distanceisdeterminedby the adj ustingscrewg, which may cause the pawl to come torest at one point or another, as the case may demand.

The operation of the device will now be'understood. Themachineryhaving'been set in motion, the sheet B is caused to pass through themachine in the direction of thearrow. The shaft f in revolving operates,through the medium of the eccentrics F and F, to bring thenumbering-wheels D D simultaneously against the two impression-bars,-and they deliver their impressions upon the lower and upper sides,respectively, of the sheet or strip of paper. Now in the furtherrevolution of the shaft f the numberingwheels recede. The pawl G-operates to advance the wheels one number-space and the operation isrepeated. The sheet is, by mechanism forming no part of this apparatus,caused to feed through the machine at any desired speed dependent on theintervals along the sheet at which the consecutive numbersare to beprinted.

1 represents a-spacing-roller, from which the strip of paper passesbetween the two'i'mpression-bars- C O. This spacing-roller is pivoted'atopposite ends to vertical racks I, which are supported movably andvertically on the main frame, to which frame are pivoted haud-pinions 1which engage the aforesaid racks. By turning these pinions the racks arecaused to raise or lower the aforesaid spacingroller. It is apparentthat this adjustment of this roller I upward increases the length of thesheet between the two impression-bars C C, and it therefore aifords ameans whereby the distance between the points of impression on the sheetmay be accurately adjusted, so that the numbers upon the checks orsale-slips, 850., may be caused to be printed at just the properlocalities upon the two sides of the sheets. So, again, J represents asimilar spacingroller, the purpose of which is to regulate the length ofthe strip between the impressionbars 0 and the form on theprinting-press to which the strip is being fed. to be printed, and sofurnishes a means foraccurately adjusting the sheet, sothat then-umberedportions will come to their exact proper places in s the press, not onlywith respect to the form, but with respect to the perforating andcutting appliances connected with the press. Again, any change inthesizeof the number in g-wheel will require a correspondingchange inthe locality of the two impression bars G O. I therefore'provide at M atthe extremities of said impression-bars adj usting-screws, whereby theends of the impression-bar may be adjusted up and down, and t'husbroughtnearer to or farther from the numberingwheels. This, with theadjusting-screws e adjusting the frames E and E of the numbering-Wheels,provide for any. necessary'regulationin this particular.

K and K are ink-distributing rollers, and K is theinking-roller, whichdelivers the ink to the numbering-wheel. Upon the shaft of theink-roller K are cams 7c. The inkingroller K is journaled in boxes Theseboxes are in turn held against the cams by springs 75, located insuitable housings k on the frame of the machine,- andso it is that ateach revolution of the distributing-roller K the cams lo force theinking-roller K into contact with the type on the numbering-wheels. Thedistributing roller K is given a suitable transverse motion along thedistributingroller'K by the bell-crank lever L. Thisis in turn operatedby the'eccentric'L and suit ableconnections L? L L In order that thenumbering-wheels may move directly up'anddown instead of in the arc of acircle, their'shafts are each journaled with boxes which move up anddown in straight vertical guides 01, and the'frames E E are eachprovided'wit-ha longitudinal slot d,in which the aforesaid journal-boxis seated movably lengthwise of the slot;

By a machineof this character'I am ena bled toprint the numbersin'consecutive order, from one up to any desired number, for a bunch orblock of sale-slips, checks, or other blanks, and am enabled also toprintsimultaneously the numbers on both sides of. the said blanks. Thiscan be accomplished with great speed and with perfect accuracy, the

IIO

numbers being given any desired relative positions upon opposite sidesof the said blanks. So, also, by shifting either numbering-wheel out ofservice the machine is adapted for printing with equal facility thenumbers in consecutive order upon one side only of said strip. Thenumbering-wheel may have cavities in which regular type may be insertedseparately, although I prefer to set up the type, stereotype the same,and arrange the stereotyped strips upon the periphery of thenumbering-wheel. I do not limit myself to any particular method ofarranging the said numbers upon the said wheels.

What I claim is 1. In a machine for numbering sale-slips and the likeupon both sides, the combination, with the numbering-wheels, oneoperating upon the top and the other upon the under side of the slip,and means for intermittently revolving the same, of frames supportingsaid wheels, pivoted at opposite ends and eccentrically mounted at theiradjacent ends upon a single shaft, whereby the revolution of the shaftwill simultaneously bring the impression-wheels in contact with thepaper, substantially as described.

2. In combination with the main supportingframe and two platens andprinting-Wheels arranged at difierent distances from the paper-feedingend of the machine, a spacingroller between said platens, vertical rackson opposite sides of the machine carrying the said spacing-roller andsupported vertically and movably on the frame, and hand-pinions pivotedto the said frame and engaging the aforesaid racks, substantially asdescribed and shown.

3. The combination of the two pairs of frames E E and E E, each of whichpairs is arranged at opposite sides of the machine lengthwise thereofand in a different plane than the other pair, and the two pairs pivoted,respectively, at opposite ends of the machine, the shaft f, extendingacross the machine between the free ends of the aforesaid frame, rodsconnecting the eccentrics to the free ends of the frames E E E E, shaftsextending across the machine and mounted on the said frames, andprinting-wheels D D, rigidly attached to said shafts and platens,respectively, under one and over the other of said printingwheels,substantially as described and shown.

4. In a machine for numbering sale slips and the like, the combination,with removable numbering-wheels and a supporting-frame E, pivoted at oneend and connected with the revolving eccentric F by connecting-rodsadjustable as to their length, of a movable impression-bcd and a screw Mfor adjusting the same, all operating to adapt the device to differentsizes of numbering-wheels, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses.

THOMAS J. A. MACDONALD.

Witnesses:

M. B. ODOGHERTY, SAMUEL E. THOMAS.

